A new lawsuit is challenging the Trump administration’s ability to station federal agents at the polls.
Immigration enforcement should not happen at the polls. That’s the argument of the County Board of Arlington in a new federal lawsuit aimed at keeping ICE agents and the FBI away from voters during the election. Arlington County Board member Susan Cunningham says stationing federal agents at the polls is clearly illegal.
"There is a federal law conveniently called ‘Troops at Polls’ that was passed by Congress in 1865," Cunningham says. "And that addresses the issue very plainly that no armed troops or agents of the federal government are allowed at polling places."
Critics of the lawsuit say federal agents can enforce immigration laws anywhere they want.
"Absent a viable allegation that the ICE agency intends to use illegal intimidation tactics to prevent lawful voting, I don't see how a judge could possibly rule in a county's favor," says legal expert Rich Kelsey.
The lawsuit is asking the federal court to declare Trump administration polling place policies unlawful and enter a declaratory judgement keeping federal immigration enforcement far away from the voting booth.
